Axle lubricating construction



3 Sheets-Shet 1 R. J. BURROWS El AL AXLE LUBRICATING CONSTRUCTIONINVENTORS. 1205.977? Jfiarrom's,

l lllllllll Hlllllllll J M Deg. 27, 1949.

Filed May 31, 1945 9 R. J. BURROWS El AL 2,492,267

AXLE LUBRICATING CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 31, 1945 m 9 R.J. BURROWS ET AL 2,492,257

AXLE LUBRICATING CONSTRUCTION Filed May 51, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Patented Dec. 27, 1949 AXLE LUBRICATING consrnuo'r g v- Robertil'.Burrows and Alfred O. Williams, Battle Greek, Mich, assignors to Qlarl;Equlpinei l t C p n u hanan i h c se s 9? Mi hi an- Application May 31',1945, Serial No. 5955903- 14 Claims. i:

This invention relates to axle constructions, and more particularly isdirected to: an axle construction for. a rail vehicle such as: a railtruck, street car truck or the like.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide atruck axle construction in which the ring gear, which drives the axle,as well as the journal bearings at the ends of the axle are alllubricated from a common reservoir, the pinion bearings being arrangedto receive lubricant by splash from the ring gear. In street cartrucksor similar rail vehicles it is customary to provide a driving typeaxle which includesna ring gear pressed en the axle shaft. and drivenfrom a suitable pinion gear connected through a power shaft to a motoror the like. The power shaft extends through suitable bearings into. anenlarged gear enclosing portion of the axle hous-l ing within which islocated the ring gear. The axle shaft upon which the ring gear ismounted is preferably supported at opposite ends by journal bearings. r

The present invention contemplates a construction in which the entireassembly for the axle shaft is adjustable through one journal bearingatone end oi the axle, the opposite journal bearing not being restrainedendwise. There is preferably a radial bearing located adjacent the ringgear to absorb the radial loads imposed thereon and this bearing also isare ranged to be lubricated from the same lubricant reservoir.

In the present invention one of the features provided is the meteringflow of oil or lubricant to the ring gear. This prevents the ring gearfrom churning up the main body of lubricant in the reservoir, themetering flow being sufiicient only to provide proper lubrication forthe ring gear and to transmit this lubricant into the bearings of thepinion shaft adjacent the pinion gear. Preferably the ring gear isarranged to dip at its lower portion into a gear reservoir, which isseparated from the main body of lubricant in the enlarged gear portionof the housing and communicates therewith through a metered opening.Thus, after initial rotation of the ring gear the flow of lubricant intocontact with thering gear is so metered as to prevent any churning ofthe main body of oil and producing excessive heating. By the use of thisgear reservoir we also prevent the ring gear from displacing the mainbody of oil, to the extent that the journal bea n s are al In carryingout the present invention we have provided for conjoint lubrication ofthe journal passageway 29 5 16 ese o rs eii th 191 3 2 24. bearin s of.the axl sha t Th pa ag way duct system provides for equali'zingthe levelof,

icant hroughout the singfe sm l n surin adequate; lubrication of l1 orthe. bearingsv and the gearing an et. n t an mii ns e churned up oremulsif ed lubricanttothejournal bearings, nor starv g th ieu 'ha barmanthe pump acti n. of; 6.1- rin 5??? takin the oil out of the main revoir., V

sun another feat re. 0 th p ent invent n resides. in the manner in;which murmur from the eservqirsheneath t e ioi ma bea ngs istransmitted to such bearings, a d lQ manner as. to p ovide a lf g n anty b such oil for lubrication but no t to provide ov lubrication which mih resul i Y ge ir leakage.

Another ardlia ltl a fi" rovided by the. present, construction .is thelubrication of t e g s 17 teeth and theadjac hl intermediate radial being by lubricant distr buti g means carried, on

the wall of the ring; gearhqus ng.

Other objects and advantage 9 th p esent invention willapneer rnorefully from a carefu consideration of. the. i llow ng detailed dS r lition which, in conjunctionwith the accompany; i-ng drawings,.wi1l afiorda comple qisg r 0 those skilled in theart of the particular eonsftruct odoperation of si s p efe ed e if 19 2f present invention.

In the drawing-$2..

Figure 1 is a transrerseseqtioual vi w h e an axle housing,embodyihgthepresent inventien'j Fi ur 2 is. aflvert a s kec ien Viewthro the nl dsear rtien af-theh ll il ak n, on line 22 of Figl jfi 1;,Figure .3. is an enlarged vertical sectional View on lin -3 3.of Fi ure:of he iour lel e ng sectionatone endoI th @22 hQ-flfiin Figure Lisasectignal View taken substantially on line 44 of Figure 3; i

use new w e-" xle. g for passage of lubricant'frojrfr the gearhousmgmain reservoir laterally throiigfi} wheels (not shown). Pressed onto theshaft 5 intermediate its ends is a ring gear hub indicated generally atI having the gear portion 8 secured thereto in the form of a hypoid orspiral bevel gear, being driven by the corresponding pinion gear 9carried by the pinion shaft I6 which is supported in the bearingassemblies I2 and I3, this providing a straddle mounting for the pinionshaft. The pinion shaft I6 in turn is provided with a universal flangemember I4 which is adapted to be coupled to the power shaft leading fromthe prime mover.

The axle housing for the shaft 5 preferably comprises three sectionsconsisting of an elongated arm section I5, an enlarged gear enclosingsection I6, and a relatively short arm section II. The arm sections I5and H are provided with bell-shaped. flanges I8 which are adapted toform therebetween the gear enclosing portion of the housing and arebolted or otherwise secured to the intermediate substantially annulargear enclosing portion I6 of the housing. A suitable inspection openingin the housing portion I6 is provided as shown at I9 in Figure 2, andthis housing is also provided with the rearwardly 0&- set portion 26having an opening 22 therein whereby lubricant can be admitted into thisportion of the housing. A drain plug opening 23 is provided at thebottom of this housing section.

Considering Figure 2 in detail, it will be noted that the housingsection I6 is provided with a baffle portion 24 which prevents lubricantcarried by the ring gear from moving into the chamber 25 formed in thishousing section. Lubricant from the ring gear 8 therefore is transmittedto the pinion gear 9 and also, through the annular metered opening 26passing to the bearing assembly I2 and from this assembly is dischargedby the flange plate 28 into the port 29 leading down through the chamber25 back to the bottom or reservoir portion 36 of the housing section I6.Thus, it will be apparent that the pinion gear and its bearings I2 arelubricated directly from the ring gear 8. Bearing I3 is lubricated byoil thrown elf by pinion gear 9.

As will be noted from Figures 2 and 5, there is provided in the bottomportion of the housing section I6 a substantially arcuate gear reservoirmember 32 within which the bottom portion of the ring gear 8 dips duringrotation thereof. This member 32 is supported by means of bolts 33 onthe bottom wall of the housing I6 and also in the side wall orbell-shaped portion I8 of the housing section IT as by means of thestuds 33' whereby this member is rigidly held in position to retain oiltherein. The oil is admitted to the gear reservoir 32 through themetered opening 34 formed in the lower portion of the side face thereof,this opening being small enough so that the amount of lubricant admittedto this member, after it has once been cleared of the initial level oflubricant, is'sufficiently small in quantity that it will not be churnedup or heated by the rotating action of the ring gear.

It will be noted that the housing section I! adjacent the ring gear 8and as shown clearly in Figures 1 and 2 is provided with a communicatingduct 35 which extends longitudinally of the housing section I! and opensat its end into the main reservoir 36 formed in the section I6. The ductmember 35 therefore provides communication from the main housing section16 laterally along the bottom section !'I to the reservoir 36 formedbeneath the journaled por- 38 formed therein adapted to receive an upperportion of a continuous chain 39, the lower run of this chain dippinginto the reservoir 36. To provide proper lubrication of the journalbearings for both low speed and high speed operations, two systems oflubrication must be provided. For slow speed operation the chainoperating in groove 38 will bring up oil from sump 36 which will travelout along cone 46 through flows into bearing 46.

opening 42 into the journal bearing 46. At high speeds oil is thrown offboth cone 46 and chain 39 onto the inner wall of housing I'I.Centrifugal force prevents oil from creeping along cone 46. To catchthis oil a trough 61 is provided which conducts it to hole 88 throughwhich it This is true for both journal bearings.

This bearing assembly is of the double roller type and the outer racethereof is seated in the thickened enlarged portion 43 of the housingsection II, and it is held against axial movement against the shoulderportion 41 in one direction and by means of the closure flange member 48in the other direction. The inner race of the bearing assembly 46 islocated relative the sleeve 31 by being mounted upon an annular sleeve49 engaging over the shaft 5 and having the threaded end 56 providedwith a tightening nut 52.

Side position of gear ring 8 with respect to I: its mating pinion 9 isaccomplished by moving shaft 5 axially with relation to axle housingassembly. The correct adjustment is determined by the number andthickness of shim 53. The conventional type of bearing 46 with itstapered sleeve 49 and its threaded collar 52 permits easy removal of thebearing for introduction or removal of shim 53.

It will be noted that gear adjustment and gear thrust is taken only onbearing 46, the outer race of this bearing being restrained betweenfixed shoulders. The opposite journal bearing carries only radial loadand its outer race is free to move axially within its enclosing housing.The inner race of bearing 46, with its tapered sleeve 49, is restrainedon shaft 5,

' between the press fit collar 31 through threaded collar 52 and oilthrow collar 56 to wheel hub (not shown) pressed against collar 56. Theholding of both the outer race and inner race of this bearing 46 permitsgear thrusts and wheel thrusts to be taken in both directions throughthis bearing. The opposite journal bearing 54 uses the same frictionalmeans through tapered sleeve for clamping this bearing axially with theshaft in order to properly position it on the shaft. It is not subjectedto any thrust loads nor does it affect gear adjustment. This isaccomplished by the collar 66 being pressed on shaft 5 adjacent theinner race of bearing 54. The collar 66 has a tapered oil throw portion62, extending toward the inner race of this bearing, whereby oil pickedup by chain 6-4 dipping into oil reservoir 65 will be discharged ontothe ing I5.

5 4 Excess lubricant which passes throughthe bearing portion to"isreturned to the: reservoir through-the return duct 58 where it againispibked-up by the chain 38 -andireturnedz tor the bearing assembly, asshownbest-in Fig.

Formed in the housing sections is and it below the bearing assem=blies54 andsA fl are the reservoir"portions-6 and 35 which have com.-municatl'on through the integrally formed ducts or passageways E8 and3dwith the main; reservoir 3o the" housing section it; Both thereservoirs B5 and 36 are closed attheir bottom by means of suitableclosure plates fi8sas shown in Fig. 3 whiehclosureplates preferably havedrain openings closed by the drain plugs 69 for removing the lubricantwhen desired; The housing endsare closed and oil retained by members 48and 51'' at one end of the housin and" 4-8" and 5-1 at the other end. ofthe housing.

In order to accommodatethe radial load imposed by the pinion gearinguponv the shatt 5 adjacent its center there is?. provided the bearingassembly 18 immediately adjacent. the belied portiorr-l8 of the housingsection Hi; this: hearing assembly being of the radial. bearing, typeand being locked in position in any suitable manner upon the shaft 5.

It will therefore be apparent that with the construction hereindisclosed, common lubricatmeans is provided for the journal bearings atthe ends of the axle shaft as well as for the ring gear, pinion gear andpinion bearings. The bearing T is also lubricated by means of atroughmember 80 shown in Fig. 2, whichtakes surplus" oil from adj of thering gear. and distributes it downwardly onto the sleeve: member 14,.which member is tapered so that this oil moves up thetapered surface bycentrifugal force into thebearing assembly 10. Any oil that passesthrough bearing 10 is caught by a labyrinth seal H and returned througha hole II into passageway 66 which returns ittothe gear r'e'serv'oiri-vAs shown in Figures 2 and 6, there is provided a lubricant distributingmember 80, having a tapped portion 82 whereby it may be secured by bolt81 to the annular internal surface of housing It. This member isprovided with two trough portions 83 and 84, fed from the smallreservoir 85 formed in member 80 adjacent the wall of the housing. Asuitable lip 86 causes oil running downwardly on the housing wall todrip into the reservoir from whence it runs outwardly through trough 83to the inner periphery of the ring gear 8 to provide for lubrication ofthe gear teeth, and through trough 84 to the tapered sleeve 14, where,by centrifugal action, it is directed into the bearing 10 on shaft 5.

It is therefore believed that we have provided a novel method ofinsuring adequate lubrication of all the bearings of this driving axleassembly, while at the same time preventing any possibility of excessivelubrication or excessive flow of lubricant to the bearings or gearswhich might cause churning and emulsification, with consequentoverheating of the oil, or the possibility of leakage of oil from thehousing through the labyrinth oil seals at pinion and journal bearingends. While it is understood that there are many slight changes indetail and design which might be made in the present constructionwithout in any way departing from the underlying principles of theinvention herein disclosed, it is understood that we do not intend tolimit the invention to the exact construction herein 11- lustrated butonlywas defined-by the scope and spirit of the appended-claima.

We claim: L 1. A drive axle construction tor a rail vehicle includinganaxle shaft;.-.a ring gear mounted intermediate the ends oi:saidshafit. a housing having tubular portions encircling said shaft on:opposite sides of said gear; and having an. enlarged'..;gear-enclosingportion :Droyiding a lubricant main reservombelow :said' gear;journalbe'arings for said: shatt inilthe ends of said housing arm;portionslubricant reservoirs in. said housing below said bearings,vmeans for-conducting lubricant from saidreservotrs to said bearings,-and' means insafd' housing paralleling said shaft and spaced 1 therefromproviding. common communication between: all or said-reservoirs. 2; Theconstruction ofclaim. .1 wherein said laist-n'amed'- means compriseslongitudinal passageways formed integrally imthe lower portions of saidhousing arm-portions between; saidmain reservoir and each of saidjournal-reservoirs An axle construction for a rail vehicle.comprising anaxle shaft, aring gear pressemon said shaft intermediate its ends,ahousing having an enlarged annular: portion encircling: said ringgearand havingtu-bularoppositely extend: ing arm portions about saidshaft, -journal.bear-' ings for-said shattinthe endsof said: portions.said annular. housing portionlprovidinga main lubricant reservoir belowsaid. ring gear and having a filler extenslon -lubricantreser voirsformed in said; housingfzanddepending. below each of said.journaiibearings for conducting lubricant from said. reservoirs to saidbearings; a gearreservoirin said main reservoir into which said. ringgear dips; and means-in said housing :arm portionsproeidingforcommu-nication between said main reservoir. and; thereservoirs under the journal-bearings.

' 45-. The. construction. ofvciaim 3 including a pinion: shaft extending,into: said housing for driving said ring gear, supporting. bearingstherefomsand mean-s2 for returning: lubricant sup,- plied to saidbearings by said ring gear to said main reservoir.

5. The construction of claim 3 wherein said communication meanscomprises integral channel-shaped longitudinal passageways formed in thebottom surface of said housing arm portions.

6. The construction of claim 3 further characterized by a radial bearingfor said shaft adacent said ring gear and lubricated therefrom, andmeans providing for return of lubricant from said radial bearing intosaid lubricant communication means intermediate said reservoirs.

7. In a rail truck, an axle shaft having a rin gear pressed thereon, anaxle housing for said shaft having an enlarged portion about said gear,a gear reservoir mounted in the lower portion of said enlarged portionand receiving the bottom portion of said gear, lubricant in saidenlarged portion at a level below the top edge of said gear reservoir, ametering opening near the bottom of said gear reservoir for limiting theamount of lubricant fed thereinto during rotation of said gear, andmeans in the upper wall of said enlarged portion forming a supplementalreservoir for collecting lubricant running down the upper wall of saidportion and discharging it onto said ring gear teeth.

8. An axle construction comprising an axle shaft having a ring gearthereon intermediate the ends thereof, an axle housing for said shafthaving an enlarged gear enclosing portion and forming a main lubricantreservoir in the bottom thereof, a projecting filler opening saidportion determining the level of lubricant in said main reservoir, anarcuate gear reservoir supported in said main reservoir and confiningthe bottom portion of said gear, a metering hole in the side wall ofsaidgear reservoir for admitting lubricant from said main reservoir to saidgear reservoir, and means formed integral in said housing below saidshaft for conducting lubricant from said main reservoir longitudinallyto the ends of said housing.

9. A rail car axle construction comprising an axle shaft having a ringgear thereon intermediate its ends, an axle housing for said shafthaving an enlarged annular portion enclosing said gear and.longitudinally extending arm portions, a radial bearing for said shaftlocated in one of said arm portions, and means disposed above the axisof said shaft for collecting lubricant from the inner annular wall ofsaid enlarged portion and discharging it onto the teeth of said ringgear and onto said radial bearing.

-10. The construction of claim 9 including a main lubricant reservoir insaid annular housing portion beneath said gear, journal bearings for theends of said shaft, lubricant reservoirs in said arm portions disposedbelow each journal bearing, and means providing longitudinalcommunication between said main reservoir and said journal bearingreservoirs.

11. The construction of claim 9 including a main lubricant reservoir insaid annular housing portion beneath said gear, journal bearings for theends of said shaft, lubricant reservoirs in said arm portions disposedbelow each journal bearing, and means providing longitudinalcommunication between said main reservoir and said journal bearingreservoirs and including means for receiving lubricant from said radialbearing.

12. In a rail car axle construction, an axle shaft having a ring gearthereon intermediate its ends, journal bearings adjacent the ends ofsaid shaft, an axle housing for said shaft comprising a transversecylindrical portion enclosing said ring gear and oppositely extendingtubular arm sections, each arm section having a depressed longitudinaltrough portion in the bottom thereof, said cylindrical portion having adepending main lubricant reservoir into which adjacent ends of saidtrough portions open, depending rectangular lubricant reservoirs formedin the ends of said arm sections below said bearings and into which theopposite ends of said trough open, whereby all said reservoirs are incommon communication.

13. The construction of claim 12 including means providing an offsetfiller opening in said cylindrical portion of said housing disposedintermediate the top and bottom horizontal planes through said troughportions.

14. The construction of claim 12 including a gear reservoir comprisingan arcuate trough member closely surrounding the lower portion of saidgear and having a lateral port opening in the side wall thereofcommunicating with said main reservoir at a point below the bottom planeof said trough portions.

ROBERT J. BURROWS. ALFRED O. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 801,730 Lofton Oct. 10, 19051,331,662 Neuteboom Feb. 24, 1920 1,334,535 Hawes Mar. 23, 19201,351,485 Moon Aug. 31, 1920 1,808,792 Schellens June 9, 1931 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 290,225 Great Britain Sept. 13, 1928

